Due to social distancing, gyms closed down, and people are staying in their homes (hopefully). We are all living in a stressful time, so it is important to remain healthy. Below are some of my recommendations for keeping a healthy mind and body (in no particular order)!
- Myfitnesspal
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Myfitnesspal is an app that allows you to track your carbohydrate, fat, and protein intake, calories consumed, and individual nutrient breakdown. To start, you put in your height and weight and select if you are trying to maintain, lose, or gain weight. The app gives you a daily calorie goal and macronutrient breakdown goals based on your answers. I go through phases of using the app daily to not at all. However, during social distancing, I have used it every day. It has helped me to stop snacking all of the time and reduce the number of unhealthy snacks I eat.
- Exercise videos
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My favorite workout videos are by Rebecca Louise. She posts short videos on youtube that are easy to follow, and she gives helpful tips. She has a fitness plan, but I just do the videos she posts on her channel. Below are the videos I use the most, and they don’t include weights or any other equipment. Check out her youtube channel for different types of workouts.
Ab workout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcJ9lgKYW4I&t=240s
Tip: Try to do as much of the video as you can and then do more of the video every day or every other day. When I first tried it, I got halfway through and had to stop. However, I kept doing more of the video every day and was able to do the full video finally. After I was able to do the full video, I kept doing it four times a week. Within two weeks, I started to see results!
Squat challenge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Utgns3QR_sQ&t=169s
Tip: Get through as much of the video as you can and keep doing more of it each time! Don’t get discouraged if you can’t complete the full video your first time!
- Calm app
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Though I haven’t used this app, I have heard great things about it from my friends and read great reviews on the app store. After downloading the app, there is a questionnaire to help personalize your experience on the app. The app provides tips and goals to reduce anxiety, sleep better, increase happiness, reduce stress, and more! There are some free aspects, but to unlock all of the features, you must subscribe for around $70 per year. Try the seven-day trial and decide if you want to subscribe! Mental health is super important, so I recommend giving it a shot. A healthy mind = a healthy body! It is easier to work out and eat well when you have a healthy mindset.
- Walk up and down your stairs
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This sounds a little odd, but it’s easy and effective. Some days I am swamped with work for my classes and do not have time to take a long walk outside. I will complete an assignment for one class and then walk up and down my stairs a few times. Then, I work on another assignment. It is important to move around every hour to stay healthy! If you’re watching Netflix or Tik Toks for hours, take a break every hour and walk around.
- Make a cute mask and walk outside
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When you have a lot of downtime, make sure to enjoy a nice walk outside! My sister and I started walking to our elementary school and back to our house (2 miles in total) every other day. Staying inside all of the time is not good for your health! Also, exercising helps you sleep better. However, make sure to wear a mask and move out of the way of a person coming your way!
Hopefully, these suggestions were helpful, and you’ll try at least one of them. Make the most out of social distancing!